Planetary thermodynamics, energy system evolution, energy services, role of renewable energy sources. Alternative energy technologies. Solar, wind, small-scale hydro, tidal, geothermal, electrochemical (batteries, capacitors, and fuel cells), and biochemical energy, electromechanical conversion processes. Techno-economic assessment of alternative energy technologies.

Ecology, evolution, behavior, and conservation of birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Laboratories and field projects will focus on identification, systematics, and natural history, with particular attention to species from British Columbia.

Ecological basis of conserving biological diversity and ecosystem services; application of ecological theory to global and local conservation problems in the context of economic, legal, political, and social perspectives. Please consult the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion List: www.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414.

Ecology of populations, communities and ecosystems. Tests of ecological theory with experiments and application to environmental issues. Labs meet once a month. Please consult the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion Lists: www.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414.

Concepts fundamental to biological issues, such as the genetic basis of biological variation, evolution, infectious diseases, causes of cancer, population growth, and human effects on ecosystems. Not open to students who have credit for Biology 12 (including AP, IB).